Help Widgets and such

[bigbadwulff]

I'm new to this Android stuff so please be patient if I am incorrect (or as some like to do..."that was said yesterday so that is old news" ). As I understand it there are widgets that get info at varying rates of time. Weather does it every 30 min or so??
So why do you HAVE to have a widget or whatever do that all the time? Why can't you just check the weather...............when you NEED to check the weather? I mean this device is fast with the internet, why not just use a weather app or an internet site and check what you need to check when you need to check it?
I mean it seems like a horrible waste of data and time and battery life and........

With my other smart phones I just opened an app and looked at the radar and got all the info I needed.

 

[Greavous]

What else are you going to do with seven screens? I run clock weather widget and have it set to update every 15 min and my battery goes all day. Initially I will admit that this wasnt the case but it was due to the phone not having signal and eating up the battery. Now I have the VZ extender and my phone always has signal and my battery life is wonderful.

 

[haticK]

because widgets are cool and you can immediately see information rather than having to open anything up

 

[bigbadwulff]

Do they show a radar map or is it just "dummy info"....temp, etc.?

 

[Greavous]

radar now is pretty good but its and app not a widget. There is a live wallpaper that is constant radar of your area but it is a battery eater and a paid app.

 

[haticK]

i saw a review of the DX and the guy was using the map live wallpaper and it made the phone extremely slow.

 

[mysterygirl]

Well you don't HAVE to use widgets if you don't like them or don't see any particular need in your day to day life. But, I like them because they provide quick information without opening the app, they help to fill out the 7 home screens (this is a trivial reason, but is one of the reasons I use them), and they provide easy reminders for me (for example, I have notes widgets and To Do widgets that are there to remind me of things I need to do--nice to receive those little reminders each time I look at my phone).

I think it's all a matter of personal preference and if you don't like them or they don't fit in with how you use your phone, then that's fine and you probably shouldn't use them. And you'll save a little battery life as well!

 

[jamo]

Well you don't HAVE to use widgets if you don't like them or don't see any particular need in your day to day life. But, I like them because they provide quick information without opening the app, they help to fill out the 7 home screens (this is a trivial reason, but is one of the reasons I use them), and they provide easy reminders for me (for example, I have notes widgets and To Do widgets that are there to remind me of things I need to do--nice to receive those little reminders each time I look at my phone).

I think it's all a matter of personal preference and if you don't like them or they don't fit in with how you use your phone, then that's fine and you probably shouldn't use them. And you'll save a little battery life as well!

I agree, don't use widgets if you don't like them. I use Word of the Day, DoggCatcher, Music, WeatherBug, and an RSS feed because they're easy to use. If you don't like them, don't use them. But that's the beauty of Android, I'd rather have the choice and prefer not to, then not be given the choice. *ahem* apple

 

[bigbadwulff]

Good to see you can turn them off. That is probably what i will do(when i get my phone).
Thanks for the info.

 

[MacII]

I personally like having the information waiting for me when I want it rather than having to go search for it. I value the all the time I save at the expense battery.